Block judge Marty Fox has set a $500m first-year sales target as he launches Whitefox into Dubai, betting the fast-moving Middle Eastern market will reshape the future of elite Australian real estate.
Block judge Marty Fox has set his sights on $500m in first-year sales as he launches his Whitefox real estate brand into Dubai.
Fox is betting the booming Middle Eastern market will become the next global playground for elite property, and says other Australian agencies won’t be far behind.
“If we were able to achieve half a billion dollars in sales in the first year, that would be an enormous milestone for the business,” Fox said.
The move marks a shift for one of Australia’s most recognisable real estate figures, taking Whitefox offshore as global wealth becomes increasingly mobile and concentrated in fast-moving international markets.
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Fox said Dubai had become a magnet for high-net-worth individuals relocating from countries where tax and regulation were becoming less attractive.
“Dubai is really the global mecca for so many of the things that genuinely excite me, construction, property, large-scale development and the sheer energy of how a city can operate,” he said.
“It’s attracting enormous numbers of high-net-worth individuals, including people relocating from countries where they feel they’re no longer being looked after from a tax or regulatory perspective.”
Block judge Marty Fox in Dubai, where he is launching Whitefox’s first Middle East operation as global wealth and prestige property activity accelerate. Picture: martyfox01/Instagram
With expatriates making up an estimated 85 to 90 per cent of the population, Fox said Dubai’s diversity and pace were central to its appeal.
“It’s incredibly vibrant and deeply multicultural,” he said.
“The city moves at a pace, around the clock, that most other countries simply can’t comprehend.”
From a property standpoint, Fox said the market was surging, and still lacked the depth of marketing and content production seen in Australia.
Block judge Marty Fox with fellow judge Darren Palmer, who is set to return to The Block in 2026 for the show’s 22nd season, filming in Mount Eliza. Picture: martyfox01/Instagram
“From a real estate perspective, it’s absolutely popping off,” he said.
“We’re incredibly excited to pioneer Whitefox in Dubai and set the tone as one of Australia’s most recognisable real estate brands to be first on the ground.”
“I genuinely believe that once we do it, many others will follow.”
Despite the shift offshore, Fox said the operating model would remain unchanged.
“The strategy will be exactly the same as Sydney, Queenstown or Melbourne, act local, think global,” he said.
Block judge Marty Fox with wife Charlotte Fox, as the Whitefox founder expands the brand offshore with a major push into Dubai. Picture: Supplied/JW FOUNDATION
Marty Fox with members of the Whitefox team in Dubai in November, ahead of the agency’s Middle East launch and planned international expansion. Picture: martyfox01/Instagram
Fox said one of the key differences between Dubai and Australia was how property marketing was funded.
“Real estate content production isn’t at the scale or quality we have in Australia,” he said.
“In Dubai, everything is self-funded. Producing that level of quality is expensive.”
The move has already drawn attention within the industry, with Whitefox’s Dubai launch generating interest from local agents, creatives and media figures ahead of its official opening.
Fox said the expansion had also sparked interest internally, with agents keen to make the move offshore.
Dubai’s skyline, where booming demand from global buyers has turned the city into one of the world’s fastest-moving prestige property markets.
Instagram reaction has been swift following Whitefox’s Dubai announcement, with agents and industry figures across the Middle East welcoming the Australian brand’s arrival.
“We actually took eight Whitefox team members over last month so they could experience it first-hand and really understand why we’re expanding,” he said.
“I genuinely believe we’ll see four to six agents from across Australia and New Zealand jump on the Dubai bandwagon for the launch.”
The Dubai play comes as Whitefox continues to dominate at the top end of Melbourne’s prestige market, recently breaking the Malvern East suburb record when 43 Grant St sold for $12m, $700,000 above the previous benchmark.
Support from Dubai-based agents and creatives has followed Whitefox’s offshore move, signalling strong early interest ahead of its official Middle East launch.
Fox said the result reflected a broader shift in how elite property is now sold.
“It’s not about knowing what school is around the corner,” he said.
“It’s about knowing how to speak to different buyers at different price points. Each level operates on a different frequency, and right now, that’s exactly where we’re tuned.”
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